Dr. Richard Freund (z”l) — In Memoriam, and the Mystery of the Two Hekhalot

Dr. Richard A. Freund z”L

Dr. Richard A. Freund (z”l) was not only a distinguished scholar and internationally respected archaeologist — for the Jewish community of Rhodes, he was something much more personal: a true friend. He understood, deeply and sincerely, the importance of preserving the island’s Jewish history, and he devoted himself to bringing its stories back to life.  

As Professor of Jewish History and Director of the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford, he spent his career studying the Jewish Diaspora and the ways in which memory is preserved across generations. But for him, Rhodes was never just another academic subject — it was a place of connection, meaning, and responsibility.  

His connection to Rhodes began even before he set foot on the island. While working on excavations in Israel, he discovered Rhodian amphorae from the Hellenistic period — a reminder that the ties between Rhodes and the Jewish world stretch back thousands of years. To him, this was more than archaeology; it was evidence of a living history linking Rhodes to Jerusalem, Alexandria, and the wider Sephardic world.  

Over the years, he returned to Rhodes many times, building close relationships with the Jewish Community of Rhodes, the Jewish Museum, and local scholars. His work focused on the historic synagogues of Kahal Shalom and Kahal Grande. Using modern, non-invasive technologies, he searched for traces of earlier structures beneath the existing buildings — convinced that layers of Jewish life still lay hidden beneath the surface.  

He believed that, because of the earthquakes that shaped the island’s history, each generation may have rebuilt upon the last — quietly preserving the past even in times of destruction.

The Mystery of the Two Hekhalot

One of the questions that most fascinated him was the unusual design of Kahal Shalom, with its two hekhalot (Torah arks). This rare feature, also found in ancient synagogues in Eretz Israel and across the Jewish Diaspora, raised many possibilities — but no single clear answer.  

The two hekhalot (Torah arks) of the Synagogue of Rhodes

Why two arks? Could they have been used for different occasions — Shabbat and weekdays? Were they meant to separate sacred texts from those set aside? And what was the purpose of the doorway between them, opening to the outside?

Richard approached these questions not only as a scholar, but with a sense of curiosity and respect for tradition. He believed that the answer might connect Rhodes to much older synagogue traditions, linking the community to places like Sardis and Chorazin. For him, every detail mattered — because every detail was part of a larger story waiting to be understood.

But Richard Freund’s connection to Rhodes was not only about the distant past. He was deeply moved by the more recent history of the community, especially the tragic deportation of the Jews of Rhodes and Kos in 1944. He stood with the community in remembrance, recognizing that history lives not only in buildings, but in families, memories, and identity.  

Through his work in the United States, including the exhibition It Was Paradise: Jewish Rhodes, he helped share the story of this community with thousands of people who might otherwise never have known it.  

Around the world, he was known for his archaeological work and his collaborations with major media networks. But in Rhodes, he will be remembered differently — as someone who truly cared, who listened, and who saw the island not just as a place of history, but as a living community with a story that still matters.

Dr. Richard A. Freund passed away in July 2022. His legacy lives on in the knowledge he uncovered, in the stories he helped preserve, and in the relationships he built. For the Jewish community of Rhodes, he will always be remembered as a man who helped bring their past into the present — and ensured that it will not be forgotten.